Food For Thought – 2022 Restaurant Trends Worth Considering

Although, as Yogi Berra said, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future,” I feel fairly confident about a few major trends that will impact the restaurant industry’s future.

The most obvious trend coming out of the pandemic is that the availability of contactless commerce is here to stay. Consumers have shown a preference for minimizing direct contact in some interactions, and restaurants will need to continue to accommodate those customers in new and adapted ways. Beyond robust cleaning regimens, which should be a given, the contactless commerce trends that will stick include paperless QR code menus and digital payment options, both of which add elements of choice, control, and convenience to enhance the customer experience.

 2022 Restaurant Trends

Contactless Commerce

Positive Human Interaction 

Selective Menus

Reliance On Drive Thru

But post-Covid, there is perhaps, more so than ever, a deep human need for connection. The real win for restaurants will be when they make contactless commerce just part of their day-to-day operations and spend more time focusing on what people really want: more positive human interaction, quality products, engaging service and personalized attention. When restaurants get this combination right, people will come away with the feeling that the contemporary dine-in experience is something far better than they could have enjoyed through at-home-food delivery.

Another trend is shortened menus. The pandemic caused many restaurants to simplify their menus due to staff shortages, supply chain issues, and the need to accommodate a greater shift to delivery and takeout. But abbreviated menus also helped restaurants focus on what they do best, enabling them to serve excellent food efficiently. With more selective menus, the customer receives the best of the restaurant’s offerings and the restaurant can execute with excellence and consistency, which will, in turn, drive customer returns and loyalty.

Rightsizing menus is not a new concept. As a CEO and investor in several restaurant brands, I, along with others, tried to reduce the number of menu offerings pre-pandemic, but we couldn’t make it stick. In some cases, we were even afraid to try. In 2019/2020 at P.F. Chang’s, we reduced the menu items while elevating others, and it has worked extremely well. We are about to undertake a somewhat similar approach to the menu at Friendly's by removing some items and adding others, albeit slightly more down-home than anything at Chang’s, including Cheese Skirt Burgers, Bangin’ Beef Stroganoff, Tater Kegs, and American Brisket SuperMelt™.     

Back in the day, when I was CEO of Taco Bell, we got rid of the Border Lite menu not long after it launched. We realized that customers simply didn’t want those menu items no matter what they may have said in consumer research. Turns out, when they came to Taco Bell, they wanted the great-tasting items they always loved. We could introduce new menu items very successfully; however, they always had to have the signature flavors and components of the brand but with a new twist. 

Elsewhere in the QSR world, when you think of some of the most successful chains like Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out Burger, they both have fairly limited selections compared to peers. Where they distinguish themselves is that they are experts at what they do, and they are known for consistently delivering excellent products and service. High-quality food and excellent service have always been winners in the restaurant industry, and they will continue to be now and in the future. Customers won’t settle for less for very long; they would sooner switch brands than put up with something that doesn’t live up to expectations.  

Another trend we are seeing in QSR is a growing reliance on drive-thru. As sales volumes have increased, so too have long lines and long waits at the window. The obvious issue with this increased demand is that service is taking longer. Speed of service has always been a top priority for chains, but the pandemic has amplified the challenges that restaurants wrestle with. Customer patience will continue to decline if this problem is not addressed. Faced with long, slow lines, customers will move to other options. Resolving this issue will be a high priority in 2022.

These are just a few of the trends the restaurant industry will deal with in the coming months. My recommendation to colleagues is to look around, pay attention, watch for and listen to the clues around you. By paying closer attention, you can more easily stay on top of consumer shifts and develop actionable insights – some of them will be obvious if you’re open to seeing them coming. In the words of Mr. Bob Dylan, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.”